A thermally-insulating composite material with co-shrinkage in the form of an insulating material formed by the inclusion of microballoons in a matrix material such that the microballoons and the matrix material exhibit co-shrinkage upon processing. The thermally-insulating composite material can be formed by a variety of microballoon-matrix material combinations such as polymer microballoons in a preceramic matrix material. The matrix materials generally contain fine rigid fillers.

A thermally-insulating composite material with co-shrinkage in the form of an insulating material formed by the inclusion of microballoons in a matrix material such that the microballoons and the matrix material exhibit co-shrinkage upon processing. The thermally-insulating composite material can be formed by a variety of microballoon-matrix material combinations such as polymer microballoons in a preceramic matrix material. The matrix materials generally contain fine rigid fillers.

The present invention concerns a process for manufacturing a porous carbonaceous monolith structure comprising the steps of (i) introducing a precursor material comprising particles comprising a halogenated polymer having a melting point in a mold; (ii) forming a shaped body comprising aggregates of the particles of the precursor material, by concurrently applying to the precursor material a pressure P ranging from 10 to 300 bars when the halogenated polymer is a vinylidene chloride homopolymer and from 10 to 150 bars when the halogenated polymer differs from a vinylidene chloride homopolymer, and maintaining the precursor material at a temperature T.sub.1 ranging from T.sub.1,min=20 C. to T.sub.1,max=T.sub.m50 C. wherein T.sub.m is the melting point of the halogenated polymer, and; (iii) optionally cooling then demolding the shaped body; (iv) introducing the shaped body in a furnace; (v) causing the pyrolysis of the halogenated polymer in the furnace until the porous carbonaceous monolith structure is obtained.

The present invention concerns a process for manufacturing a porous carbonaceous monolith structure comprising the steps of (i) introducing a precursor material comprising particles comprising a halogenated polymer having a melting point in a mold; (ii) forming a shaped body comprising aggregates of the particles of the precursor material, by concurrently applying to the precursor material a pressure P ranging from 10 to 300 bars when the halogenated polymer is a vinylidene chloride homopolymer and from 10 to 150 bars when the halogenated polymer differs from a vinylidene chloride homopolymer, and maintaining the precursor material at a temperature T.sub.1 ranging from T.sub.1,min=20 C. to T.sub.1,max=T.sub.m50 C. wherein T.sub.m is the melting point of the halogenated polymer, and; (iii) optionally cooling then demolding the shaped body; (iv) introducing the shaped body in a furnace; (v) causing the pyrolysis of the halogenated polymer in the furnace until the porous carbonaceous monolith structure is obtained.

A carbon foam comprising linear portions and node portions joining the linear portions, wherein the linear portions have a diameter of 0.1 m or more and 10.0 m or less, and the carbon foam has a surface with an area of 100 cm.sup.2 or more.

A carbon foam comprising linear portions and node portions joining the linear portions, wherein the linear portions have a diameter of 0.1 m or more and 10.0 m or less, and the carbon foam has a surface with an area of 100 cm.sup.2 or more.

A continuous operation method is employed for the microwave high-temperature pyrolysis of a solid material containing an organic matter. The method includes the steps of mixing a solid material containing an organic matter with a liquid organic medium; transferring the obtained mixture to a microwave field; and in the microwave field, continuously contacting the mixture with a strong wave absorption material in an inert atmosphere or in vacuum. The strong wave absorption material continuously generates a high temperature under a microwave such that the solid material containing an organic matter and the liquid organic medium are continuously pyrolyzed to implement a continuous operation.

A continuous operation method is employed for the microwave high-temperature pyrolysis of a solid material containing an organic matter. The method includes the steps of mixing a solid material containing an organic matter with a liquid organic medium; transferring the obtained mixture to a microwave field; and in the microwave field, continuously contacting the mixture with a strong wave absorption material in an inert atmosphere or in vacuum. The strong wave absorption material continuously generates a high temperature under a microwave such that the solid material containing an organic matter and the liquid organic medium are continuously pyrolyzed to implement a continuous operation.

An aerospace mirror having a reaction bonded (RB) silicon carbide (SiC) mirror substrate, and a SiC cladding on the RB SiC mirror substrate forming an optical surface on a front side of the aerospace mirror. A method for manufacturing an aerospace mirror comprising obtaining a green mirror preform comprising porous carbon, silicon carbide (SiC), or both, the green mirror preform defining a front side of the aerospace mirror and a back side of the aerospace mirror opposite the front side; removing material from the green mirror preform to form support ribs on the back side; infiltrating the green mirror preform with silicon to create a reaction bonded (RB) SiC mirror substrate from the green mirror preform; forming a mounting interface surface on the back side of the aerospace mirror from the RB SiC mirror substrate, and forming a reflector surface of the RB SiC mirror substrate on the front side of the aerospace mirror. Additionally, the method can comprise cladding the reflector surface of the RB SiC mirror substrate with SiC to form an optical surface of the aerospace mirror.

An aerospace mirror having a reaction bonded (RB) silicon carbide (SiC) mirror substrate, and a SiC cladding on the RB SiC mirror substrate forming an optical surface on a front side of the aerospace mirror. A method for manufacturing an aerospace mirror comprising obtaining a green mirror preform comprising porous carbon, silicon carbide (SiC), or both, the green mirror preform defining a front side of the aerospace mirror and a back side of the aerospace mirror opposite the front side; removing material from the green mirror preform to form support ribs on the back side; infiltrating the green mirror preform with silicon to create a reaction bonded (RB) SiC mirror substrate from the green mirror preform; forming a mounting interface surface on the back side of the aerospace mirror from the RB SiC mirror substrate, and forming a reflector surface of the RB SiC mirror substrate on the front side of the aerospace mirror. Additionally, the method can comprise cladding the reflector surface of the RB SiC mirror substrate with SiC to form an optical surface of the aerospace mirror.